Palace Master of Xuantian Palace

Holding it in his hand, Qin Sang felt a mild coolness. And a heaviness. What Tan Hao had handed over was not merely a jade pendant, but the hope he had placed in it. Qin Sang tightened his grip firmly. Though he did not know how many years it would be before he had the chance to journey to Zhongzhou, and the likelihood of encountering the Ghost Mother was miniscule, Qin Sang still thanked him solemnly. Yagu's cheeks were rosy and her breathing steady. To an outsider, she would simply appear to be asleep. Qin Sang sighed and put away the jade pendant. Then, Tan Hao spoke of their subsequent experiences. "Senior knew a path through the storm belt. When we arrived in the North Sea, to our surprise it was already demon territory, and we were nearly hunted down by demon kings. After many twists and turns, Senior was finally able to retrieve the contingency she had left behind long ago. Once her injuries improved and she recovered part of her strength, she snuck into Xuantian Palace." When Tan Hao mentioned Xuantian Palace, Qin Sang cut him off. "What was Senior's cultivation realm?" In his heart, Qin Sang evaluated the Ghost Mother's strength. Having once been sealed by Master Tianyue, she should be below the Soul Formation stage, right? However, not fearing Xuantian Palace and wreaking havoc in Xuantian Palace were two entirely different concepts. Old Man Hunmo, along with a few peak figures of the middle Nascent Soul stage, possessed the power not to fear Xuantian Palace, and Xuantian Palace would do their best to avoid crossing them. Once provoked, if they took revenge on Xuantian Palace disciples, even Xuantian Palace would be thrown into chaos. Yet even Old Man Hunmo could not run amok within Xuantian Palace. Tan Hao said with shame, "My cultivation is lowly. When Senior wreaked havoc in Xuantian Palace, I merely followed orders and handled a few minor matters on the periphery. I never saw Senior's strength at her peak with my own eyes..." As he spoke, Tan Hao paused, suddenly recalling something. "Senior seemed to have vaguely mentioned that the Palace Master of Xuantian Palace was somewhat abnormal and had not made a public appearance in a very long time. I also heard a few rumors that the Palace Master rose to fame far earlier than Old Man Hunmo." "Somewhat abnormal." Qin Sang mulled over the phrase. From their brief clash earlier, the strength Old Man Hunmo displayed was not simply that of someone newly broken through to the late Nascent Soul stage, but that of a veteran powerhouse who had dominated the Boundless Sea for many years. Suppose for a moment that the Palace Master of Xuantian Palace was even stronger than Old Man Hunmo. There were too many reasons that could cause an anomaly in an immortal cultivator. For instance, attempting a breakthrough with a secret art, failing, and suffering backlash. Or bizarre life-extending methods. Or severe injuries from facing a heavenly tribulation... "Yes, the likelihood of severe injury from a heavenly tribulation is very high. The might of heavenly tribulations grows fiercer each time. Without breaking through to Soul Formation, even a great cultivator will eventually perish." Qin Sang narrowed his eyes, musing inwardly, "Such wounds are the hardest to recover from. No wonder Xuantian Palace was first infiltrated by the Ghost Mother, and then had an important treasure stolen by the man in white." He recalled the ice chest lying quietly in the Qianjun Ring. Could there be a sea chart inside? On second thought, he felt the possibility was slim. The man in white possessed strength comparable to the early Nascent Soul stage and had no ability to journey to Zhongzhou, so a sea chart held limited value for him. If the man in white were a cultivator of Xuantian Palace, once his cultivation reached a high enough level, he would surely have an opportunity to see the sea chart; there would be no need to take such a massive risk. "Aside from the Palace Master of Xuantian Palace, the others pose a much smaller threat to me." Qin Sang pondered for a moment, then gestured for Tan Hao to continue. Next were their experiences in the Jinghai Sect. The Ghost Mother had apparently failed to obtain what she wanted at Xuantian Palace, leaving her no choice but to risk destabilizing the seal and sneak into the Jinghai Sect, where she finally retrieved the sea chart. "Senior said that in its moment of peril, the Jinghai Sect pooled the entire sect's might to form the seal. The Golden Peak and the Pagoda are akin to two pillars of the seal, and they can barely hold on now. Yes, the medicinal herb garden and other places also affect the seal's stability to varying degrees." Tan Hao glanced at Qin Sang, knowing he must have noticed already. "Destroying the restrictions in these locations will accelerate the collapse of the seal. Senior opened the Pagoda and took the treasures within, but from the herb garden, she only gathered a few of the most precious spirit herbs. Inside the Golden Peak, several magic treasures were placed, which Senior left untouched. Originally, these things were meant for me to retrieve myself after I formed my Nascent Soul. At that time, it would also be the day of the Jinghai Sect's destruction." Tan Hao looked helpless and deeply pained. These treasures were meant as compensation from the Ghost Mother for failing to save Tan Jie and fulfill their agreement. Once Tan Hao reached the Nascent Soul stage and collected all those treasures, even an ordinary sect would not have wealth to match his. The cooked duck had just flown away. However, recalling the benefits he had gained from the Morning Bell and Evening Drum during his time in the Jinghai Sect under the Ghost Mother's guidance, Tan Hao felt somewhat relieved. The opportunity to reach the Nascent Soul stage was more precious than any treasure. Hearing this, Qin Sang nodded. He had noticed the peculiarity earlier. The light of the Pagoda's restrictions was dimmer than that of the Golden Peak—so the Ghost Mother had already entered it. He wondered what other treasures were inside besides the sea chart, and whether there was any Spirit Suppressing Incense. Still, the Spirit Suppressing Incense was not something he absolutely had to obtain. "No time to lose. Let's hurry and pick a few of the most precious spirit herbs and leave this place of trouble," Tan Hao sighed. Learning that Old Man Hunmo had been drawn here, Tan Hao completely gave up on the magic treasures in the Golden Peak, nor did he believe Qin Sang had the strength to contend with Old Man Hunmo. If Old Man Hunmo discovered that someone had beaten him to the prize, their situation would be dire. Qin Sang neither agreed nor disagreed, looking deep in thought. While conversing with Tan Hao, he constantly monitored the outside through the Nascent Soul talisman puppet, watching Old Man Hunmo's movements. Now it could be confirmed. Five Nascent Soul cultivators had already entered the Jinghai Sect. Aside from Old Man Hunmo and Realized Master Chijie, they were all unfamiliar faces. Valley Master Mu and the pair Qi and Wang were nowhere to be seen, likely having met with misfortune. The distance was too great for Qin Sang to discern their expressions clearly. Among the three newly arrived Nascent Soul cultivators, one was at the middle Nascent Soul stage and two were at the early Nascent Soul stage. On the surface, there was no conflict between them and Old Man Hunmo; whether they feared Old Man Hunmo or had already negotiated terms for dividing the spoils was unknown. That so many people had entered at once was something Qin Sang had not anticipated. "It seems Old Man Hunmo isn't as intimately familiar with the Jinghai Sect's grand array as I previously thought. Lacking the Fire Jade Centipede's guidance, that old demon may have taken the initiative to seek out helpers and break the array together." Qin Sang surmised Old Man Hunmo's intentions. Old Man Hunmo had ambushed them, yet joined forces with others. This also made sense. After all, the four of them had reached an agreement long before and would surely present a united front against outsiders. For Old Man Hunmo, the three newcomers were fewer in number and would not trust one another completely, posing no threat to him. According to Qin Sang's original plan, if there were only Old Man Hunmo and Realized Master Chijie, he would stay hidden in the shadows and bide his time. If a supreme Buddhist treasure appeared, he would seize an opportunity to strike, having a decent chance of escaping safely. But under the current circumstances, with no chance to divide the opposition, Qin Sang had to prioritize his own safety. One against five—he was not arrogant enough for that. Obtaining the Myriad Spirit Fruit had already fulfilled his objective. Weighing the pros and cons, Qin Sang would most likely choose to withdraw. However, running into Tan Hao unexpectedly gave Qin Sang a new idea.